2014 FORD TAURUS checking

Customer Assistance 259
Reporting safety defects (U.S. only).......................266
Reporting safety defects (Canada only).....................266
Fuses 267
Changing a fuse......................................267
Fuse specification chart................................268
Maintenance 276
General information...................................276
Opening and closing the hood............................277
Under hood overview..................................278
Engine oil dipstick....................................282
Engine oil check......................................282
Engine coolant check..................................283
Automatic transmission fluid check........................288
Brake fluid check.....................................293
Fuel filter...........................................293
Washer fluid check....................................294
Battery ............................................294
Checking the wiper blades..............................296
Air filter(s).........................................296
Adjusting the headlamps................................298
Changing a bulb......................................300
Bulb specification chart.................................304
Vehicle Care 305
Cleaning products.....................................305
Cleaning the exterior..................................305
Waxing.............................................307
Repairing minor paint damage............................307
Cleaning the engine...................................307
Cleaning the windows and wiper blades.....................308
6Table of Contents
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

GENERAL INFORMATION
See the following sections for directions on how to properly use safety
restraints for children.
WARNING:Always make sure your child is secured properly in a
device that is appropriate for their height, age and weight. Child
safety restraints must be bought separately from your vehicle. Failure
to follow these instructions and guidelines may result in an increased
risk of serious injury or death to your child.
WARNING:All children are shaped differently. The
recommendations for safety restraints are based on probable
child height, age and weight thresholds from NHTSA and other safety
organizations, or are the minimum requirements of law. Ford
recommends checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger Safety
Technician (CPST) and consulting your pediatrician to make sure your
child seat is appropriate for your child, and is compatible with and
properly installed in your vehicle. To locate a child seat fitting station
and CPST, contact the NHTSA toll free at 1-888-327-4236 or on the
internet at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov. In Canada, check with your local
St. John Ambulance office for referral to a CPST or for further
information, contact your provincial ministry of transportation, or locate
your local St. John Ambulance office by searching for St. John
Ambulance on the internet, or Transport Canada at 1–800–333–0371
(http://www.tc.gc.ca). Failure to properly restrain children in safety
seats made especially for their height, age, and weight may result in an
increased risk of serious injury or death to your child.
Child Safety17
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

8. Remove remaining slack from the
belt. Force the seat down with extra
weight, for example, by pressing
down or kneeling on the child
restraint while pulling up on the
shoulder belt in order to force slack
from the belt.
This is necessary to remove the remaining slack that will exist once the
extra weight of the child is added to the child restraint. It also helps to
achieve the proper snugness of the child seat to your vehicle.
Sometimes, a slight lean toward the buckle will provide extra help to
remove remaining slack from the belt.
9. Attach the tether strap (if the child seat is equipped). SeeUsing
Tether Strapslater in this chapter.
10. Before placing the child in the
seat, forcibly move the seat forward
and back to make sure the seat is
securely held in place.
To check this, grab the seat at the belt path and attempt to move it side
to side and forward and back. There should be no more than 1 inch
(2.5 centimeters) of movement for proper installation.
Ford recommends checking with a NHTSA Certified Child Passenger
Safety Technician to make certain the child restraint is properly installed.
In Canada, check with your local St. John Ambulance office for referral
to a Child Passenger Safety Technician.
Child Safety27
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

3. Use the arrow buttons to get to a configurable feature.
4. PressOKor>to make a selection.
Note:You can clear or change your MyKey settings at any time during
the same key cycle as you created the MyKey. Once you have switched
the engine off, however, you will need an admin key to change or clear
your MyKey settings.
CLEARING ALL MYKEYS
You can clear all MyKeys within the same key cycle as you created the
MyKey. If you switch your ignition off, however, you will need to use an
admin key to clear your MyKeys.
Note:When you clear your MyKeys, you remove all restrictions and
return all MyKeys to their original admin key status at once.
To clear all MyKeys of all MyKey settings, use the information display to
do the following:
1. Access the main menu and selectSettings, thenMyKey.
2. Scroll toClear Alland press theOKbutton.
3. Hold theOKbutton untilALL MYKEYS CLEAREDdisplays .
CHECKING MYKEY SYSTEM STATUS
You can find information about your programmed MyKeys by using the
information display.
MYKEY DISTANCE
Tracks the distance when drivers use a MyKey. The only way to delete
the accumulated distance is by using an admin key to clear your MyKey.
If the distance does not accumulate as expected, then the intended user
is not using the MyKey, or an admin key user recently cleared and then
recreated a MyKey.
NUMBER OF MYKEY(S)
Indicates the number of MyKeys programmed to your vehicle. Use this
feature to detect how many MyKeys you have for your vehicle and
determine when a MyKey has been deleted.
NUMBER OF ADMIN KEY(S)
Indicates how many admin keys are programmed to your vehicle. Use
this feature to determine how many unrestricted keys you have for your
vehicle, and detect if an additional MyKey has been programmed.
66MyKey
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

With hands off the wheel (and nothing obstructing its movement) and
the transmission inR(Reverse), the vehicle steers itself as instructions
to safely move the vehicle back and forward in the space are displayed in
the touch screen. While reversing, the touch screen displays a message
instructing the driver to check their surroundings (for safety reasons)
and to back-up slowly, accompanied by a corresponding graphic.
When you think the vehicle has enough space in front and behind it, or
you hear a solid tone from the parking aid, bring the vehicle to a
complete stop.
When automatic steering is finished, the touch screen displays a message
indicating that the active park assist process is done. The driver is
responsible for checking the parking job and making any necessary
corrections before putting the transmission inP(Park).
Parking Aids203
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

Replace the rear axle lubricant anytime the rear axle submerges in
water. Water may have contaminated the rear axle lubricant, which does
not normally require checking or changing unless it is leaking or other
axle repair is required.
TRANSPORTING THE VEHICLE
If you need to have your vehicle towed, contact a professional towing
service or, if you are a member of a roadside assistance program, your
roadside assistance service provider.
We recommend the use of a wheel lift and dollies or flatbed equipment
to tow your vehicle. Do not tow with a slingbelt. Ford Motor Company
has not approved a slingbelt towing procedure. Vehicle damage may
occur if towed incorrectly, or by any other means.
Ford Motor Company produces a towing manual for all authorized tow
truck operators. Have your tow truck operator refer to this manual for
proper hook-up and towing procedures for your vehicle.
It is acceptable to have your front-wheel drive vehicle towed from the
front if using proper wheel lift equipment to raise the front wheels off
the ground. When towing in this manner, the rear wheels can remain on
the ground.
Towing247
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

ENGINE COOLANT CHECK
Checking the Engine Coolant
The concentration and level of engine coolant should be checked at the
intervals listed inScheduled Maintenance Information.
Note:Make sure that the level is at the FULL COLD level or within the
COLD FILL RANGE in the coolant reservoir.
Note:Coolant expands when it is hot. The level may extend beyond the
COLD FILL RANGE.
If the level is below the COLD FILL RANGE, add coolant immediately.
SeeAdding Engine Coolantin this chapter.
The coolant concentration should be maintained within 50%, which
equates to a freeze point between -34°F (-37°C).
Note:For best results, coolant concentration should be tested with a
refractometer such as Rotunda tool 300ROB75240 available from your
dealer. Ford does not recommend the use of hydrometers or coolant test
strips for measuring coolant concentrations.
Note:Automotive fluids are not interchangeable; do not use engine
coolant/antifreeze or windshield washer fluid outside of its specified
function and vehicle location.
Adding Engine Coolant
WARNING:Do not add engine coolant when the engine is hot.
Steam and scalding liquids released from a hot cooling system
can burn you badly. Also, you can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts.
WARNING:Do not put engine coolant in the windshield washer
fluid container. If sprayed on the windshield, engine coolant
could make it difficult to see through the windshield.
WARNING:To reduce the risk of personal injury, make sure the
engine is cool before unscrewing the coolant pressure relief cap.
The cooling system is under pressure; steam and hot liquid can come
out forcefully when the cap is loosened slightly.
Maintenance283
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)

You may notice a reduction in the vehicle’s speed caused by reduced
engine power. Your vehicle has been designed to enter this mode if
certain high temperature/high load conditions take place in order to
manage the engine’s fluid temperatures. The amount of speed reduction
will depend on the vehicle loading, towing, grade, ambient temperature,
and other factors. If this occurs, there is no need to pull off the road.
The vehicle can continue to be driven while this message is active.
The air conditioning may also cycle on and off during severe operating
conditions to protect overheating of the engine. When the engine coolant
temperature decreases to a more normal operating temperature, the air
conditioning will turn on once again.
If you notice any of the following:
•the engine coolant temperature gauge moves fully into the red (hot)
area
•the coolant temperature warning light illuminates
•the service engine soon indicator illuminates
1. Pull off the road as soon as safely possible and place the vehicle in P
(Park).
2. Leave the engine running until the coolant temperature gauge needle
moves away from the H range. After several minutes, if this does not
happen, follow the remaining steps.
3. Turn the engine off and wait for it to cool before checking the coolant
level.
WARNING:Never remove the coolant reservoir cap while the
engine is running or hot.
4. If the coolant level is normal, you may restart your engine and
continue on.
5. If the coolant is low, add coolant, restart the engine and take your
vehicle to an authorized dealer. SeeAdding engine coolantin this
chapter for more information.
Refer to fail-safe cooling for additional information.
What You Should Know About Fail-Safe Cooling
If the engine coolant supply is depleted, this feature allows the vehicle to
be driven temporarily before incremental component damage is incurred.
The fail-safe distance depends on ambient temperatures, vehicle load and
terrain.
286Maintenance
2014 Taurus
Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2013
USA(fus)